Whether you work in a cubicle or in a backhoe loader, a day on the job can make you hungry. In fact, depending on how much you like your job, lunch may be the highlight of your day. However, you may also be likely to appease your misery with sugar-coated snacks and fast-food feasts. Luckily, with a little willpower and the right preparation, eating at work can be just as healthy as eating at home.

Instructions:

Step 1

Eat before your shift. Breakfast is the most important meal; it jump starts your metabolism and gives you enough energy to get through the day. If you eat before work, by the time your lunch break rolls around, you’ll be less tempted to feast and more apt to graze.

Step 2
Pack a lunch. By selecting foods at home, you can plan a healthy meal. While it’ll take a little extra time in the morning to craft a nutritious lunch, you’ll have more time during your mid-shift break. When you take the guesswork out of lunch, you’ll be less likely to give in to temptation.

Step 3
Choose healthy foods. Whether you’re eating from the refrigerator in the break room or wandering into town for a meal, choose healthy foods over fast foods. While you may think saving time and money with microwaveable sandwiches and drive-thru hamburgers is smart, your body won’t agree. Go instead for a freshly-made sandwich or salad; if you watch them make it, chances are, you’ll be able to pronounce the ingredients.

Step 4
Share with co-workers. No matter what you pack, buy or steal from the break room, any meal can be shared. It’s common sense. If you share with your co-workers, you eat less. While a lot of people are unable to leave food on their plate, if they give that food away, willpower doesn’t even factor in. Just be careful when your co-workers want to share with you.

Step 5
Snack in moderation. With all the focus on lunch, what about the rest of the work day? If you have a desk job, chances are you have a drawer of snacks. Constant snacking can erase even the healthiest lunch or breakfast. No matter how small the snacks, if you eat enough of them, they add up in the end.

Author: Jennifer Boyden
eHow Contributing Writer